Best laboratory notebooks according to redditors
We found 63 Reddit comments discussing the best laboratory notebooks. We ranked the 28 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 63 Reddit comments discussing the best laboratory notebooks. We ranked the 28 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
I've run through three of these Rhodia Meeting Books in the last couple years for work. The paper is great for fountain pens even with wet ink and the organization really worked well for me. I usually get the smaller size but I've linked the larger one here.
I also really love my travelers notebook for work with fountain pens but it meets none of your other requests.
Hope you find something!
edited to add I totally agree about leuchtturm. I've never understood why people like these for fountain pens. Too much show through.
Thought of another one that might be better for you. This is a bound full size Midori notebook. Midori makes travelers notebooks and the paper is generally great for fountain pens. No table of contents or page numbers but I've found those difficult to get right.
There's also this I've never used this brand but it hits all your requests and is heavy duty paper so it may work for fountain pens. No telling how smooth it is. Good price though. Dot Grid Version
Pretty sure this is the National Brand Rediform Chemistry Lab Notebook, narrow rule. Only confusion is the page count, as DFW's notebook seemed to go to 70-80 pages rather than 60. Maybe the company downsized the page count recently?
https://www.staples.com/National-Brand-Chemistry-Notebook-9-1-4-x-7-1-2-60-Green-Tint-Sheets/product_507991
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/National-43571-Chemistry-Notebook-Narrow/dp/B0016OT7P8
It's a Lemome! There are plenty of fun doodles and I'm super excited to make more!
If you're going for a composition-notebook style, I'd recommend getting one with graph-ruled paper, rather than plain lined. You can still use the horizontals to write on, but you can also use it for drawing maps, etc, without having to use separate pages.
If that appeals, you can also get something like this,where the pages are pre-numbered, and there's an included index section at the front. Or if you don't want to keep all your notes in one place (different campaigns, etc), a three-pack of Moleskine grid-ruled notebooks is pretty cheap ($13 at the Barnes & Noble where I picked mine up)
As for what to put in it, I'm with everyone else:
And, for fun, litter your notes with rulebook page number references that refer to abilities, monsters, NPCs, etc that your players either really want or really don't want to encounter, just in case someone goes snooping. Only you know which ones actually matter
Dingbats-- they have a ruled version. On your list: yes, yes (unsure of the rule width), yes, yes, yes, not numbered, just one. Pages are perforated, though, and if you can get someone to send you a sheet to pen-test, that would be best (PM if you would like me to do so). I don't use pilot PBS or highlighters.
They have a bulletjournal version that's dot-grid and a yes on all the rest, but if you were willing to go for dot-grid, I would be here touting Scribbles That Matter, except, alas, no ruled.
I've liked Lamome's other products, so the ruled one should be fine too. No numbers, yes on everything else.
Also, I haven't tried the Amazon classic notebook, but I'm thinking with your pen choices, it couldn't hurt to try?
Let me know what you end up with. The ruled + page numbered challenge must be no fun to live with.
If he doesn't have a fairly good stethoscope of his own, that would be a good gift. I have the Littmann Lightweight II that I use. Its a bit lighter than some of the other stethoscopes I've seen and used, but still great quality, and it isn't expensive compared to the market.
A pair of trauma sheers might be useful for him as well, ranging from the cheap to the more expensive with more gadgets, there's definitely a range to choose from. I personally don't have any shears, but everyone I've talked to that has the leatherman absolutely loves it.
A EMS pocket notebook like this or this would be useful for him to keep track of patient encounters for his paramedic clinicals.
During my PhD, I got a set of these Vela Lab notebooks for my coursework and my comprehensive exams. They are fountain friendly and extremely easy to organize given the generous index. I still have several of them, and I plan on keeping them for the rest of my life.
Depending on your long-range goals, it can be very helpful to keep these around for a quick reference type of text. If I could go back in time, I would give myself a full set of these when I started grad school. If I had kept up with them early, studying for comprehensives would have been a breeze.
Liability reasons and personal project management type things is why I keep a written record. It's tougher to search for something you want, but it's key to have documentation of decisions made and when they were made. But as SrSkippy said, the admissability to court is pretty key depending on your situation. I did some poking around on the subject when I started my current job and was looking for good products to use and there was some discussion out there on needs. Having a bound book so it's non-insertable/removable and having the pages permanently numbered, with notes dated and sometimes signed/witnessed for certain milestones are important for patent law and intellectual property disputes if I remember correctly - I can't find the source right now. I use something similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/BookFactory%C2%AE-Blue-Engineering-Notebook-LIRPE-168-LGR-A-LBT4/dp/B003Y2XTE0
My main concern is contractual disputes, my current employer has a tendency to sue and get sued by contractors, so I wanted to make sure I had things well documented and from a just good business practices standpoint you'd probably be best off with something like microsoft onenote so it's searchable and easy to organize. The biggest challenge in documenting I've found is how easy it is to actually put it in writing/drawings. If you've chosen a difficult method (having a 3rd party take meeting minutes and require 2 approvals or something equally ridiculous that I've actually seen in practice before) then you're probably not going to be as willing to document compared to something that is very easy.
Some of the stuff I keep for my P.E. in my notebook are what training I attended, when, how many hours, and any identiable information for the CEU attached to it. Unfortunately I don't get to use my P.E. in any other capacity than maintaining it while at this current job.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016OT7P8/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00007LV4B
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R80QCW/
As many have said, there's no one-size-fits-all method. Here's mine.
I've been keeping a journal since I was 10 (I'm 43 now). This system evolved over time and I expect it will continue to evolve. But my memory is pretty problematic because of PTSD, so journalling is really worth the effort for me.
I use these all the time -- have dozens. They have a really sturdy cover, and the grid printing quality is much more consistent than the cheapo quad comp books.
http://www.amazon.com/Rediform-Quadrille-96-Page-Notebook-53110/dp/B0016060LG
these are really useful for PCRS. Although the price is above 5$ it's 2.66 per notepad.
Bonus question 1 answer being PMed. I've searched and searched and I can't find your name :(
Raffley goodness: In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.
http://www.amazon.com/BookFactory%C2%AE-Blue-Engineering-Notebook-LIRPE-168-LGR-A-LBT4/dp/B003Y2XTE0
expensive, but supre nice
I love Lemome notebooks. The paper is thick and smooth, I haven't had any ghosting at all (though I don't do anything intense or use anything but Staedtlers), and the quality and feel of the notebook is amazing and feels fancy for a $15 notebook.
My usual mechanical pencil is the Pentel GraphGear 1000 0.5, filled up with spare lead.
I use an Lemome A5 notebook (plain):
https://www.amazon.com/Unruled-Blank-Plain-Unlined-Notebook/dp/B071WZV2TM/
which has a pencil holder on the spine and a little pocket inside the back cover, which can fit a small ruler. I use a thin metal one.
This is pretty much all I need, since everything fits into a single item, I never leave anything at home.
I used to use lab notebooks like these: https://www.amazon.com/National-53110-Notebook-Quadrille-Sheets/dp/B0016060LG/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1542489863&sr=8-13&keywords=lab+notebook
old school, I know, yet they have great qualities. Sturdy covers, great paper, and a good price point because of how long I could use them. They come in plain or grid or college lined and regular lined. I had three at a time and used one per subject each term. Next term, I picked up with a new class where I left off in the notebook. Basically three terms took three lab books (9 classes total). It was inexpensive and they were good and sturdy.
Book Factory is my supplier of choice, they make all the letter sizes, premarked as proprietary {see here}. Their journal-size ones are un-numbered, and for that Moleskine is a lot easier to find. Completely fountain pen compatible, because everybody loves a nice fountain pen.
First you gotta figure out what kind of paper works for you, lined, unlined, grid, dots, etc. and how many sheets you want. I've found engineering books can be great notebooks too - and they also look really professional. https://www.amazon.com/BookFactory%C2%AE-Black-Engineering-Notebook-EPRIL-168-SGS-LKT4/dp/B0062O9BY4
Depending on what type of science courses you take, I'd recommend our stuff. Our paper is water-resistant, so you can spill on it without consequence. It works great with ballpoint pens, as well.
Let me know if you want a little sample book to try out.
I've also heard good things about these types of notebooks (1, 2, 3). I've tried something very similar to the Scientific Notebook Factory one and liked the feel of the paper.
A new lab notebook since I've almost filled up my current one, and I'm finally getting back into the lab habit -- I don't want it to stall for lack of a new notebook. =)
VELA Series-E2, Engineer Research Notebook.
VELA Series-E2, Engineer Research Notebook, 8.5 x 11 inches, 128 Pages, Hardcover, Permanent Smyth Sewn Binding, Class-2 'Optimized' Notebook (5x5 Grid Variation)
NOTE: The Amazon page makes no mention of this notebook meeting any ISO standards for archival-quality paper, and only says "acid-free for archiving".
You've gotten excellent advice on inks, and some on notebooks. You mentioned being overwhelmed by the choices, but wanting a sturdy notebook that can handle fountain pen ink. There are a few choices mentioned in here, but perhaps I can help summarize this. Key thing you will want is a high gsm (Grams per Square Meter), since a high gsm means thicker paper.
Wishing you and your daughter the best during these hard times.
I believe I may go with this...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071WZV2TM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_R0EeAbFX51E0T
Blueline makes a series of books that meet your requirements. My favorite is the A796.01, which is an 8x10 inch register book with horizontal lines. I've been using that notebook for 25 years as a professional astrophysicist, no kidding. The earliest ones (from the early 1990s) look the same as the day I wrote in them.
The pages are numbered and therefore tamper evident.
I put a table of contents in myself, on page 1. There are no preprinted date/project headers, but there's a header space to write those things.
Also, check the "Scientific Notebook Company" -- they make a notebook that a lot of people swear by.
Lemome sells one on Amazon with an elastic band on the spine that you can attach a pen into, but storing 3 pens might be difficult depending on how big the pens are
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01NAT49WS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511616412&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=lemome+notebook
I think FPR also sells a pen pouch that you can use on a Rhodia Webbie. It's a 2-pen pouch but you can buy multiple
https://fprevolutionusa.com/collections/pen-pouches/products/fpr-two-pen-notebook-pouch-leather
That's pretty much all I can think of off the top of my head. If I find any other solution I'll update my post
Oh ok, thanks. I’m using a Vela Advanced scientific notebook right now you may be interested in if the thin paper bothers you.
Vela Advanced
> Lemome A5 Hardcove
Is this the one you are referring to?
A search for “grid lab notebook hard cover” or the like (key is to search for lab notebooks) usually turns up a few options. I like B5 or US Comp book grid notebooks very much and these turn up frequently in my searches for that size, but there are larger formats available as well. Would this suit?
Can’t vouch for paper quality, but reviews are promising.
Engineering log books could be another option, depending on how picky you are about the grid size/color, or if you’d be bothered by the spaces provided in the margins for recording information that may not be relevant for your purposes. Lab notebooks are sometimes printed with this layout as well, but it’s a little less common.
Both of these have advantages for bullet journalers (dk if that’s a thing you’re into) in that more often than not they have numbered pages and an index section. I have not found any with an elastic band, but that’s a dead simple diy with a length of your chosen elastic, a $3 pack of rivets and a hammer!
Speaking of notebooks, make sure you get a good one. Basically, you want a solid lab notebook--not some spiral bound piece of junk for elementary school.
This one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXFNR4Z is (for me) a nice size/weight/cost mix. It's nicely bound, not huge, uses grid paper, has numbered pages, and several lined pages for a table of contents.
In certain fields (not just military), these are super common (i.e. standard office supplies): https://www.amazon.com/DIY-Indispensables-Military-Notebook-7530-00-222-3521/dp/B01D225M3C
Size is the main reason. I have larger notebooks for other things. In fact, for projects and the like, I use lab notebooks with sewn in pages that are already numbered, etc. (Something like this.)
I keep a small field notes notebook in my back pocket to scribble down lists or make notes of things that I need to transfer to my larger notebook if I don't happen to have that one with me.
I bought a couple of larger size Field Notes notebooks and they tend not to get used because if I'm carrying something large enough to hold them, I just carry my project notebooks instead.
I've had good luck with Vela Notebooks, particularly their smaller computation notebook. I also have one of their larger project notebooks which I'm currently using for a study. Not being able to remove pages allows me to maintain a chronological order of my notes, and helps me when I need to find something (a formula, a specific problem with some machine, etc.) quickly.
Some notes about me: I'm still a student at a military academy, so I have to have a notebook of some sort on me pretty much all day. I use the Vela offerings because they are very durable, the paper stands up to fountain pens, and the ink on the page is a nice photocopier-blue.
Maybe this isn't exactly what you were looking for, but I think the notebook route is the way to go!
found it on Amazon, here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAT49WS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_knZCCb2VFRXGF
I've been using this. The paper quality could be better, but it takes every ink I've thrown at it without feathering and only the occasional bleed. And it's sexy as hell.
Here's a pro-tip. Have any and all maps you think you could possibly need drawn out on graph paper. If a fight breaks out, you can quickly and easily redraw it on a larger blank battle map. Each square of graph paper is a square of battle map.
You can even pass out map keys to players so they know what your simplified icon is for a door or a chest. Get different color markers for water or fire. Maybe diagonal brown lines represent elevated terrain, stuff like that.
You can have pages of interesting, pre-designed maps, ready to go in an instant (or at least really quickly). If you dont use one today, you might use one next time. And because you already designed the dungeon / battlefield, you can describe it as needed, then quickly draw it up when combat ensues, without having to design on the spot or guess distances.
Easypeazy.
1: if you haven't already, invest in a biggish (at least 2ft by 2ft) washable battlemap, like [this one](
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Grid-Game-Mat-36/dp/B01MQHECUR/ref=asc_df_B01MQHECUR/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312149930626&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11363641352118596268&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027793&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-457337712203&psc=1)
2: get some graph paper, like this
And this will probably last you years and years. Just be sure to test any and all markers on small corners to be sure they really clean off before committing to the whole map (do this before the game, of course).
https://smile.amazon.com/Thick-Classic-Notebook-Pen-Loop/dp/B01NAT49WS?sa-no-redirect=1
Really thick pages, no bleeding or ghosting at all for me.
even smaller than college ruled.
I found these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1MJP33/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3QB0H8HDGRX6J&colid=2K885P3IMHHG8
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0984516395/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2MOZE9E9NMFS5&colid=2K885P3IMHHG8
Do you want hard cover or soft cover?
I've been really enjoying the feel of these lab notebooks: Vela Sciences Advanced Wirebound Lab Notebook, 9.25 x 11.75 inches, 144 Pages (1-Pack, Grid) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZDX5L6/
I'm so sorry. Typo. Vela notebooks. Available on Amazon here: Vela Sciences Advanced Hardcover Lab Notebook, 9.25 x 11.75 inches, 144 pages (1-Pack, Grid) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1NWVUS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lFnsDbEH3XQQJ
i use the lemome one. it's amazing for not ghosting. i can use fine liners, crayola super tips, brush pens, even sharpies i believe. the only issue i've ever run into is when i use an alcohol pen blender but that'll do some damage on almost any paper i believe
link
they have dot, grid, and lined i believe
Very rarely (maybe even never) has the paper with my lab data gotten wet. If anything, it’s a drop here or there but nothing severe. If I was your boyfriend, I would want something large that has a nice design (what lines are already on the paper i.e. the checkerboard pattern on graph paper, etc.)
After some quick searching, I really like this. I might even pick it up for myself. I hope this helps!
https://www.amazon.com/Vela-Sciences-Advanced-Hardcover-Notebook/dp/B01M1NWVUS
I havent bought this particular notebook ( i usually get softcover because theyre cheaper) but 144 pages, hardcover, good reviews at $16 seems alright to me. While its obviously not fair to compare a small company like OPs to what is probably some wholesaler on amazon, the difference adds up.